Cleveland Browns: 3 keys to victory against the Bengals
By Chad Porto
The Cleveland Browns get the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 2.
The Cincinnati Bengals, for many, were always considered to be the Cleveland Browns’ first victory of the 2020 season in most season predictions. The Bengals have a second-year head coach, a rookie quarterback, and a rather depleted team due to a rebuild. The Browns, as many fans keep pointing out “are built to win now”. The problem is though, the Browns looked worse against the Ravens than the Bengals did against the Chargers. Sure, the Chargers aren’t a playoff team in many people’s eyes, but they have a veteran quarterback, a proven coach, and a great defense, so anything is possible.
That said, the Bengals and Browns are both coming into this game beaten up. The Browns are going to be without Greedy Williams, and Kevin Johnson on defense, and David Njoku, who had a solid offensive performance against the Ravens, will also be out. Players like Jedrick Wills and Jack Conklin, two necessary pieces of the puzzle, are unsure for the start of the game, which would make the Browns job so much harder.
The Browns aren’t the only ones dealing with some issues on the injury list. The Bengals are also dealing with a situation where their key players in stopping the Browns best offensive plays are hurt. Defensive tackles Mike Daniels and Gino Atkins are out for the game. Since the Browns’ interior line and running game are two of its best attributes, one would theorize that it would behoove the Browns to attack the center of their defensive with a steady dose of running plays.
The Browns have a chance to secure their first victory of the season and put to bed murmurs about Baker Mayfield’s abilities if the Browns and subsequently Mayfield can lay into the Bengals and prove that Week 1 was a fluke, not the new standard.